


Exuberant

by ironstatic (eloquentelegance)



Series: 100 Beautiful and Ugly Words [7]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-11 19:11:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4448762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eloquentelegance/pseuds/ironstatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>abundant, unrestrained, outsize</p><p>(Lux reports Jinx. Like that ever does anything.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exuberant

_abundant, unrestrained, outsize_

There’s footsteps. The door clicks shut. Paper shuffling. Then a chair is pulled out, screeching across the linoleum floor. Overhead, a flourescent bulb buzzes white. Sterile, strident, unyielding. It’s all photons, electromagnetic radiation traveling in waves, weightless essentially. Lux feels it press down on her, a physical force - heavy and heated - on her shoulders. She knows it’s nothing more than the pyschosomatic manifestation of her anxiety. Which is silly. She has nothing to be anxious over.

The Summoner sets the clipboard down, and hums.

“Lady Crownguard, I understand you’ve come with a complaint.”

Lux bobs her head. “Yes, ma'am.”

The Summoner hums again, leaning back. She touches a finger to her lips, inspecting Lux curiously. “It has something to do with the… ” She lifts a sheet from the clipboard. “… new marksman currently on the Institute premises. Is this correct?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

Lux wonders if it would kill the Summoner to personalize her office. She’s been to army headquarters with more decoration. It’s not as if the Institute of War is a militaristic organization. True, it was founded by military branches of various cities, but it was separate entity. It followed its own rules and regulations. Lux couldn’t think of a reason for the bare, white walls or the naked, white floor or even the exposed light bulb - lacking any sort of cover. It unnerves her, quite frankly. Perhaps that was the point.

“Jinx, the Loose Cannon, according to your statement, has been repeatedly harassing and stalking you.”

Lux breathes in deep. “Ma'am, I respectfully request your interference. Jinx has been, to put it bluntly, driving me crazy. She insists on following me around. She interrupts my work. She intrudes on my conversations. She invades my room. She. Is. Driving. Me. Crazy.”

The Summoner purses her lips, remaining distinctly unimpressed with Lux’s tirade. She tilts her head. “Has she threatened you in any way?”

Lux opens her mouth, then closes it. She pauses, wrinkling her brow. Then, haltingly, she shakes her head. “… No. Not really.”

“Has she committed any acts of violence on your person?”

“No…” Lux mutters.

“Has she touched you inappropriately anywhere?”

Lux sighs. “No. But - !”

“If all she is doing is pestering you, Lady Crownguard, then I cannot help. You must deal with her on your own.” The Summoner cuts in with a note of finality.

“You don’t understand! She’s a menace!”

“As far as I am concerned, Jinx has not broken any rules. You must understand that the Institute is only tasked with supervising her. And as long as she remains within these walls, what she does is her business.”

“So, what? You’re just going to let her run wild?”

“Providing she isn’t a danger to others, yes.”

“But - !”

“Lady Crownguard.” The Summoner says sharply. “She is not endangering you. She is annoying you. Deal with it.”

Lux’s jaw snaps shut so fast her teeth click.

The Summoner huffs and rises to her feet. She shoots Lux a parting glare. “Now, if you would kindly excuse me, I have important matters to attend.”

There’s footsteps again. A door opens. Then closes. Overhead, the flourescent bulb buzzes impassively on.

Lux remains seated for a couple more minutes. Her hands are clenched into fists. She’s partly embarassed, mostly infuriated, but also at a loss. She had thought reporting Jinx’s behavior would solve some things. Not all things, she never thought that, but at least some. She wasn’t expecting the Summoners to be completely useless. Then again, she isn’t used to being wrong.

Hissing out a breath, Lux stands and walks to the door. She pauses at the threshold, casting one last glance at the office. With a quick wave of her hand, the light bulb makes a high-pitched whine before popping to pieces. The room is plunged black. No more white.

Lux smiles to herself. She backs out of the room, pulling the door shut as she faces forward - only to find Jinx standing just a step away. She stifles a shout.

“I saw what you did there.” Jinx singsongs, beaming at her. “Vandalizing Institute property! Tsk, tsk, Lady Crownguard. How naughty of you.”

“Fuck off, Jinx.” Lux spits out through gritted teeth.

“Nah. Don’t wanna.”

Then, with a cheery little hop, Jinx closes the distance between them. Lux absolutely does not flinch.

Jinx smirks. “Aaaaaaw, did widdle Flashlight go squealing to Mommy?”

“Yes, and?” Lux squares her shoulders, standing straighter. They are about the same height save for the inch Lux had over Jinx. She intends to use that inch to its fullest capacity.

“Nice try.” Jinx’s smile only grows wider. “But face it, Flashlight. You are never, ever getting rid of me.”

Lux peers own at Jinx, pursing her lips. Well, that sounded like a challenge. Alrighty then. She offers a smirk of her own, equally as devious and taunting.

“We’ll see.” She tells Jinx. “We’ll see.”


End file.
